Menu Plan Monday

I should start off by saying that I have a challenge planning meals for our family. I basically have to plan a meal and then do three different variations of it every night for three people. That is a lot of work, especially with a toddler hanging on your leg. So I have to plan, plan, plan to make it even a remote possibility. I am a vegetarian, my husband has to have a meat with every meal or he will be hungry again in 30 minutes, and I have a typical, picky-eating toddler (do I need to say more on this one.)

This week I will be using basic recipes and try to use up some items that have been pushed to the back of the pantry and forgotten for awhile to make my dinner menu. Usually for breakfasts and lunches I just do a general idea list since it is just me and greenbean, and it seems to never work out to plan these meals by day. So here goes my weekly plan:

Breakfasts ideas:
- Waffles and fruit

- Oatmeal

- Cereal

- Omelet

- Fruit smoothies

Lunch ideas:

- Sandwiches

- Salads

- Leftovers from dinner

- Mac and cheese

- Fruit smoothies

Dinner plan:

- Monday- Quesadillas. Bean, cheese, and sauteed vegetables (onion, zucchini, peppers) for me and greenbean. Ground beef, cheese, and sauteed vegetables for husband. This one is an easy one to adapt for all three of us.

- Tuesday- Spaghetti. Whole wheat noodles with four cheese spaghetti sauce. Mix in leftover ground beef from last night to husband's sauce. Serve with side salads. Greenbean will eat my spaghetti and probably a couple chicken nuggets.

- Wednesday- Slow cooker whole chicken, rice and broccoli for husband. Lentils, rice and broccoli for me. Greenbean will eat some of everything hopefully probably with grapes too.

- Thursday- Vegetable fried rice. Add leftover chicken to husband's.

- Friday- Homemade pizzas. Cheese, olives, and pineapple for me. Pepperoni, sausage, and cheese for husband. Greenbean will eat some of the pizza, but usually not much besides the crust (She might just be the only child on the planet that does not like pizza). I will have to come up with something else for her.

- Saturday- Vegetable pot pie for me, and chicken pot pie for husband using leftover chicken from Wednesday. Greenbean will eat quesadilla and vegetables from pot pie.

- Sunday- Try to eat any leftovers from the week, or if needed, chili with cornbread. Vegetable chili for me and add ground beef to husband's bowl.

Here is a healthy tip that I have found to work for me. When I am cooking meals I try to drink a glass of water. It fills my stomach up a little, and I find that I do not over eat (as much).

Alissa